Monroe commissioner blasts appointment to conservation board

Opponents of a controversial appointment to the county's conservation district board lashed out at two of the county's leaders.

Commissioners John Moyer and Charlie Garris voted in favor of appointing attorney Joseph Hanyon as a farmer member of the board.

“You say he's a farmer because he grows some Christmas trees on his property, while everyone knows he's a lawyer,” Commissioner Suzanne McCool said before voting against the appointment, which was affirmed by a vote of two to one Wednesday.

The origins of conservation districts go back to the dust bowl of the 1930s when unregulated farming and development practices led to the erosion of soil in the Midwest and a food production disaster. Conservation districts have since overseen the rules guiding development involving soil, water and other natural resources.

Both McCool and former commissioner Theresa Merli expressed concerns that recent appointments to the conservation district board indicated a shift towards easing development rules and weakening environmental protections.

“You have blatantly disregarded the will of the people of this county,” McCool said. “I was on the first Monroe 2020 task force. On the top of the list of what everyone wanted, they wanted their water protected, their air protected. To put only one conservationist on this commission . . . this is a travesty.”

Conservation district law calls for seven board members, including one county commissioner, four public directors and two farmers.

Hanyon was appointed to replace long-serving commission member John Henry.

“You let the proverbial fox into the henhouse. The other guy (Henry) is such a respected member of the community. I am so disappointed in that,” McCool said in blasting the decision.

Moyer defended the Hanyon appointment, saying it would add greater balance to the serving board.McCool wasn't critical of the entire board, just the nature of philosophies being added through new appointments.

Of developer and board member Mark Sincavage, McCool said, “I feel Mark has done an excellent job and knows the importance of conservation. And when you're in compliance it protects the developer and things work out over the long run.”